[obol] Nov. Lincoln Co. Bird Notes Received Through 12/1
Range Bayer
rbayer at orednet.org
Sun Dec 9 15:35:51 PST 2007
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BIRD FIELD NOTES from the November 2007 Sandpiper 28(9)
for Observations Received Through 12/1 by Range Bayer
The Sandpiper is a publication of Yaquina Birders and Naturalists, a
Lincoln County (Oregon) natural history group.
Comments in this column about abundance or seasonality refer to
LINCOLN COUNTY only. If you have any Lincoln County field notes, please
share them with Range (rbayer at orednet.org; P.O. Box 1467, Newport, OR
97365; 541-265-2965) by the 20th of the month. Bird field notes columns in
the Sandpiper since 1992 are at
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#recent (all lower case
letters).
Many Lincoln Co. sites are in the Oregon Coast Birding Trail Guide
(http://www.oregoncoastbirding.com/).
Abbreviations, terms, and some Lincoln Co. site locations: BEAVER
CREEK: creek flowing through Ona Beach State Park, BOILER BAY: State
Wayside about 0.5 mi north of Depoe Bay, HMSC: OSU Hatfield Marine Science
Center, IDAHO FLATS: large embayment just east of HMSC, LNG TANK: large
green Liquefied Natural Gas tank on the north side of Yaquina Bay about 1.5
miles east of Yaquina Bay Bridge, ONA BEACH: State Park about 6.6 mi south
of Yaquina Bay bridge along HWY 101 at Beaver Creek, SALLY'S BEND: large
Yaquina Bay embayment east of the LNG tank, SOUTH BAY: Yaquina Bay mudflats
south of Sally's Bend, WANDEMERE: about 0.5 mi north of Ona Beach State
Park near HWY 101, YBSJ: Yaquina Bay South Jetty.
BRANT
YB&N has become a project partner of the International Brant
Monitoring Project (IBMP) (http://www.padillabay.gov/brant/), and RB relays
on significant Brant sightings in Lincoln County to their Observation Log
(see link on the left side of their web page).
Their IBMP's Observation Log indicates that the first big flight from
Izembek Lagoon, Alaska, where Brant stage before migrating, was on 10/30.
Two days later on 11/1, JL found the first arrivals (6) at Yaquina Bay; the
next day there were 16 (JL). Numbers continued slowly to build up through
November (see graph below).
Seawatches using a telescope to look out over the ocean from land can
directly monitor Brant migration. During Boiler Bay seawatches, PP did not
see any Brant on Nov. 6, 7, or 9; only 4 on Nov. 11, and none on 11/11; so
Brant did not seem to be migrating then. During a 1.5 hour afternoon
Lincoln City seawatch on 11/12, PP saw 160 Brant. As RL comments, few of
these went to Yaquina Bay, since the 23 Brant on 11/12 only increased to 38
on 11/14 (RL). During a 11/27 Boiler Bay seawatch, PP saw 2 flying north--
it is unknown if these had come from Yaquina Bay and were going to the two
other Oregon estuaries where Brant overwinter (Tillamook and Netarts Bays,
Tillamook Co.).
Counts of Brant at Idaho Flats (I) or All (A) Yaquina Bay Embayments (Idaho
Flats, Sally's Bend, and South Bay) by JL, RB, and RL. (Counts only at
Idaho Flats may not record all overwintering Brant, though they may often
only be there.)
150-
125- I
100- AI
75- AI
50- IAI
25- IAIAI
1-12- IAIAI
0- A IIAIAI
|''''|''''|''''|''''|''''|''''|'''
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
OTHER WATERFOWL
[Image Not Included: Vikki Anderson's Nov. 25 photo of a Tundra Swan in a
pasture/marsh at Seal Rock Stables in south Beaver Creek. A drake Mallard
is in the foreground and a drake Ring-necked Duck appears to be in the
background--Western Canada Geese were also nearby.]
While riding her horse on 11/25, VA found a TUNDRA SWAN in a
partially flooded pasture at Seal Rock Stables at about Milepost 1.6 along
South Beaver Creek Road; thanks to KA and LO for relaying on this report!
VA saw it until 11/29 (VA); it moved a bit, and LO saw it from South Beaver
Creek Road on 12/1.
2-6 EURASIAN WIGEON were at Idaho Flats on 11/2 & 14 (JL), and 4 were
at Alsea Bay on 11/25 (RN).
6-8 HARLEQUIN DUCKS graced Seal Rocks on 10/28 (JG) and YBSJ on 11/12
(CA); 9 flew south at Boiler Bay on 11/19 (PP). 1 LONG-TAILED DUCK was
also at Boiler Bay on 11/6, 10, & 19 (PP).
Several HOODED MERGANSERS were noted in freshwater, but a pair that
B&JO saw at Port Dock 5 along the Newport Bayfront was in saltier waters.
GROUSE-LOONS
2 RUFFED GROUSE were in LO's ornamental plum in north Beaver Creek on
11/8--they eat its leaves in fall. One was also eating berries in LO's
holly tree next to his house on 11/25.
On 11/7, CP found a rare YELLOW-BILLED LOON at Olalla Lake, north of
Toledo, but it was not relocated. On 11/18, JG & BOl saw what was possibly
a Yellow-billed Loon at a small lake along HWY 101 about 1.5 mile north of
the Alsea Bay Bridge; it was also not relocated.
The morning of 11/6 at Wandemere, RC noted a massive southward loon
flight with an estimated rate of 1,000/minute; most were PACIFIC LOONS.
That day at Boiler Bay, PP saw 4,000+ Pacific, 400+ RED-THROATED LOONS, and
100+ COMMON LOONS passing during a 75 minute morning seawatch. PP also
noted them during his other seawatches, with the peak on 11/10 with 25,000+
Pacific, 3,000+ Red-throateds, and 100+ Commons.
NORTHERN FULMAR
During PP's Boiler Bay seawatches, NORTHERN FULMAR numbers began
increasing on 11/9, with 2,000+ on 11/19.
Fulmar coloration varies. The following widely used four-way
classification is from Hatch and Nettleship (1998. Northern Fulmar
[Fulmarus glacialis]. The Birds of North America Online. Ithaca: Cornell
Lab of Ornithology at
http://bna.birds.cornell.edu.bnaproxy.birds.cornell.edu/bna):
LL (double light): Head, neck, and underparts white, except for small dark
patch in front of eye.
L (light): Crown of head, nape, and hindneck gray, grading into gray of
mantle. Breast white; remainder of underparts may be white, light gray, or
flecked with gray.
D (dark): Head, neck, and underparts light or medium gray; breast in most
cases lighter, but never white. [PP adds: "all-gray, but obviously lighter
than Sooty Shearwater."]
DD (double dark): Almost uniformly dark or very dark gray; wings almost as
dark as their tips. [PP adds: "very dark like Sooty Shearwater."]
Light and double-light are commonly pooled.
For PP's 11/13-11/29 seawatches, light-phase fulmars ranged from
about 50% to 66% of the fulmars. Often light-phase are about 10% or less
of fulmars here, but in late 2000, PP also estimated that 20-60% of fulmars
were light-phase during seven seawatches.
BLo's beached bird results show that the percentage of white-phase
(light and double-light) fulmars is often less than 10%, but was 20-35% in
1995, 2000, and 2006-2007 (Table 1). So a high percentage of live or dead
light fulmars have been seen before.
-------------------------------------------
TABLE 1. Percentage of white-phase (light and double-light) fulmars found
by BLo's team along 4.6 miles of beach north of Ona Beach. Results are
summed for a year (Total); or for a sample only of the southern part of
that beach during October-December (Sample). N=number. With additional
analyses, results may be available for other years.
-------------------------------------------
Beached
Fulmars (N)__ %
Year Total Sample White
-------------------------------------------
1990 - 52 4
1992 - 59 3
1995 - 93 23
2000 - 54 35
2003 275 - 5
2004 61 - 7
2005 206 - 11
2006 37 - 20
2007* 202* - 35* (Of 146 fulmars in Nov. 2007, 44% were white.)
* 2007 is incomplete and is for January-November 2007.
-------------------------------------------
Fulmar mortalities began increasing in October with 35 along 4.6
miles of beach north of Ona Beach (B&SLo, L&VO). In Nov., the number
greatly increased to 146 there.
On 11/13 & 30, TM found a fulmar resting on Nye Beach in Newport
(CoastWatch mile 216). On 11/30, he also found a "huge number of feathers
washed up on the strand line" (see
http://home.teleport.com/~tmorse/Pages/Ephemera.html). TM guessed that the
feathers might represent molting at sea rather than mass mortality.
To my knowledge, no fulmars were oiled. If you find an oiled bird
(whether live or dead), please call Mike Szumski, Natural Resource Damage
Assessment/Spill Response, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at 503-705-5747.
Weak fulmars could be more vulnerable to predators. On 11/19 at
Boiler Bay, PP saw an adult BALD EAGLE "grab a pale fulmar off the water,
but it was only able to get about 30 feet up before dropping it."
MOTTLED PETREL-BROWN PELICAN
PP detected some rare tubenoses during his seawatches: at Lincoln
City, 2-4 MOTTLED PETRELS on 11/12; at Boiler Bay, 1-2 MANX SHEARWATERS on
11/9 & 10, and 1 BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER on 11/6.
BROWN PELICANS were very numerous in November. "At least 700" were
at the YBSJ on 10/30 (CA). "Hundreds" were at Siletz Bay on 11/12 (PtR; LK
[fide LO]) and at Boiler Bay, with 275 flying north on 11/27 (PP). We
often have records into early December, but such high numbers raise
concerns about mortality. In October, only 1 dead pelican was found along
4.6 miles of beach north of Ona Beach (B&SLo, L&VO), but 6 dead pelicans
were on beach north of Otter Rock on 11/22 (P&JK).
GREAT BLUE HERONS & GREAT EGRETS
GREAT BLUE HERON numbers at Yaquina Bay continued the almost
straight-line drop since August 31 (see graph). This sharp decline
occurred at a time when many other waterbirds are migrating and before
weather harsh enough to cause mortality occurred.
The Nov. 21 census of 33 herons was within the range of counts last
winter through early May. Will heron numbers now remain relatively
constant at winter levels?
RB's Censuses of Great Blue Herons (X) and Great Egrets (e) Within 1 Hour
of Predicted Low Tides Less Than +0.8 ft at Yaquina Bay Embayments (Idaho
Flats, Sally's Bend, and South Bay)
160- X
150-
140- X X
130- X
120-
110- X
100- X
90- X
80- e
70- XX e
60- X e
50- e X
40- e
30-X X XXX XXX e X
20-
10- e
1-4- e ee e
0-e e eee ee e e
'|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|''|
Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov
Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec
GREAT EGRET numbers also continued their decline at Yaquina Bay
embayments, with none found on Nov. 21. Some may be in the upper estuary,
and LO counted 4 at Beaver Creek, during the 11/17 YBNFT.
RAPTORS-COOTS
[Image Not Included: Howard Shippey's Nov. 9 photo of a Sharp-shinned Hawk
dining on a live Eurasian Starling on the lawn below Howard's apartment
just north of the Newport Bayfront. Indistinctly visible, the starling's
left foot tightly grasped the hawk's right leg--so much so that the hawk
unsuccessfully tried to shake itself free. After several bites, the hawk
flew away with the still alive starling.]
Our latest OSPREY report was on 10/14 at Seal Rocks (KB), and JL had
our only MERLIN--1 at Idaho Flats on 11/14.
1-2 PEREGRINE FALCONS were at Siletz Bay on 10/29 (DS & DD), Boiler
Bay on 11/10 (PP), and the HMSC on 11/13 and 11/16 (BO; JL).
On 11/21, LO saw two separate groups, about 10 in each, of AMERICAN
COOTS "huddled" together in the wet sand along the ocean beach north of Ona
Beach. They are usually in bays or freshwater.
SHOREBIRDS
In winter, we regularly have had flocks of 10+ BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS
at high tides in past winters. This month, the most reported was of 4 at
Seal Rocks on 11/21 (KB) and at Yaquina Head on 11/25 (CA). If you see
concentrations of 10 or more anywhere along the Oregon Coast, please email
oystercatcher researcher Elise Elliott-Smith (eelliott-smith at usgs.gov).
A BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and a WHIMBREL found by RN at Siletz Bay on
11/25 were the only ones reported. Both used to overwinter.
[Image Not Included: Clay Creech's Nov. 9 photo of a Sanderling at Moolack
Beach north of Yaquina Head. Sanderlings are the small white shorebird
seen running back and forth with the waves along the shoreline in winter
and are then the most numerous shorebird in Yaquina Bay.]
The peak SANDERLING count was 28 at Idaho Flats on 11/14 (JL).
Hundreds could be expected in winter at low tide in Yaquina Bay.
Our only DUNLIN was 1 at Idaho Flats on 11/14 (JL), and a WILSON'S
SNIPE was at an Idaho Flats marsh on 11/14 (JL).
JAEGERS-ALCIDS
At Boiler Bay, PP found a PARASITIC JAEGER on 10/30 and a POMARINE
JAEGER on 11/10. Rare gulls that PP found there during seawatches included
a FRANKLIN'S GULL on 11/7 and a probable BLACK-HEADED GULL on 11/27.
Our latest HEERMANN'S GULL report was at Boiler Bay on 11/27 (PP).
A summary of PP's Nov. sightings of alcids is in Table 2.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE 2. Alcids recorded during PP's 11 seawatches at Boiler Bay on Nov.
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 19, 27, 29. N=number.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
% of
Watches Peak Count____
Noted (N) (Date)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMON MURRE 100 15,000+ 11/10
PIGEON GUILLEMOT 91 5 11/13
MARBLED MURRELET 82 80 11/10
ANCIENT MURRELET 82 175 11/10
CASSIN'S AUKLET 18 1 11/7 & 19
RHINOCEROS AUKLET 91 900+ 11/7*
* Rhino numbers declined markedly after 11/10 to 30 or less.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
On 11/6, RC saw a new bird from her & WN's Wandemere home: 4 ANCIENT
MURRELETS flying south just outside the surf zone!
BARRED OWL-LESSER GOLDFINCH
[Image Not Included: Howard Shippey's Nov. 14 photo of a Barred Owl along
the trail from Nye Street to Sam Moore Park in Newport. Note the
horizontally barred chest and vertical striping on the belly that separate
it from a Spotted Owl.]
BARRED OWL were more widely reported this month than in the past: 1
in Nye Beach area of Newport on 11/8-14 (PaR; J&PL; HS), at least 2 in the
Beaver Creek area on 11/9 (CA), 1 in SE Newport in early Nov. and on 11/17
(SS), and 1 at north 71st Street in Newport on 11/12 (BBe).
Barred Owl status has changed here markedly in the past decade. Our
first confirmed record was in Oct. 1998--it was beached north of Ona Beach
and found by S&DB as part of BLo's team (SemiL; FN).
[Image Not Included: Howard Shippey's Nov. 17 photo of a male Northern
Flicker at his home near the Newport Bayfront. It has a red mustache and
no red crescent on the nape, which are typical of a red-shafted Northern
Flicker. No flickers with yellow-shafts have been reported yet this
season.]
LO's "mooching" STELLER'S JAY flock has grown to about 20 at his
north Beaver Creek home on 11/25.
JG & BOl closely watched a MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE at their Sandpiper
Village feeder north of Waldport on 11/20. Sometimes they show up in
winter but usually do not. Previous sightings since 1990 occurred in Dec.
1990, Feb. 1991, Oct.-Dec. 1996, Oct. 2000-April 2001, and Aug. 2001
(SemiL, FN). Sort through those chickadees--there could be a Mountain
amongst them!
A flock of BUSHTITS appeared at JW's Waldport home on 11/23--they can
be inconspicuous!
A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW at DG's Toledo feeder on 11/18 to 12/1 was
our only report so far this season.
PP saw a SNOW BUNTING flying over waves about 200 yards off Boiler
Bay on 11/11. There were no reports of them at the YBSJ where they are
more to be expected.
On 11/3, JG & BOl had a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK or ROSE-BREASTED
GROSBEAK at their Sandpiper Village feeder--it had a grosbeak bill but was
not an Evening Grosbeak. [Their initial impression was that it was a
Black-headed Grosbeak.] A Black-headed would be unusual, since we didn't
have any Black-headed records between late Sept. and late April for records
through 1992 (SemiL). On 11/21, DG had a raggedy-looking female Black-
headed Grosbeak at her Toledo feeder that lingered to 12/1--it looked ill,
which could explain its lingering.
On 11/8, JS saw 2 mystery birds along with 30 BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS on
the rocks over the Depoe Bay seawall; LT also saw and photographed the
mystery birds. On 11/13, DD investigated and determined that the mystery
birds were first-year RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS (20) that are not shown well in
many field guides; there were also more than 25 Brewer's. The
concentration of Brewer's is noteworthy, too. Brewer's seem to be mostly
in towns now, but 6 were at SK's home near Criteser's Moorage, downstream
of Toledo on 11/16.
3-7 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS were at the HMSC on 11/14-15 (JL).
PINE SISKINS come and go. On 11/18, DG had 20 at her Toledo feeder.
L&JM identified 2 male and 1 female, uncommon LESSER GOLDFINCHES on
11/15 at their home near east Sally's Bend; they had also been present a
few days before.
OBSERVERS/SOURCES: Vikki Anderson, Karen Anderson, Cindy Ashy, Range
Bayer, Bob Berman (BBe), Kitty Brigham, Sara & Don Brown, Rebecca Cheek,
CoastWatch (a volunteer project monitoring one-mile segments of the Oregon
coast; http://oregoncoastwatch.org/), Dick Demarest, Dawn Grafe, Jill
Grover, Steve Kupillas, Penelope & Jack Kaczmarek, Linda Kasper, Janet &
Phil Lamberson, Bob Loeffel (BLo) & Shirley Loeffel (SLo), Roy Lowe, Linda
& John MacKown, Terry Morse (http://home.teleport.com/~tmorse/), Russ
Namitz, Walt Nelson, Field Notes (FN, use "Search" link at top of
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm [all lower case letters] to
search for Lincoln County records from the Sandpiper since 1992), Bori Olla
(Ol), Bob & Jerryann Olson, OBOL (Oregon Birders On Line; recent postings
with info about joining is at
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/OBOL.html), Laimons & Vicki Osis,
Chuck Philo, Phil Pickering, Paul (PaR) & Pat Reed (PtR), SemiL
(semimonthly Lincoln Co. bird records through 1992 for each species at
http://www.orednet.org/~rbayer/lincoln/bird.htm#semimonthly [all lower case
letters]), Howard Shippey, Joline Shroyer, Don Stein, Stacy Strickland,
Linda Taylor, Jean Weakland, Yaquina Birders & Naturalists Field Trip
(YBNFT led by LO).
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